GENEROUS council staff are once more doing their bit to help underprivileged children around the world.

Operation Christmas Child is organised by the charity Samaritan's Purse, which is dedicated to relieving the suffering of homeless children abroad as well as youngsters whose lives have been devastated by poverty, ill-health, natural disaster, conflict and war.

For the third successive year, Richmondshire District Council workers will be filling shoe boxes with gifts and raising the money necessary to distribute them around the globe.

The local branch of town hall union Unison has pledged £100, enough to cover the cost of sending the first 50 boxes - although, in previous years, the final total has reached as high as 75.

"This is a project which keeps us busy all year round,'' said co-ordinator Olga Alexander.

"We buy Christmas wrapping paper in the January sales and then, in the months that follow, save up shoe boxes and keep a lookout for suitable items to go in them.

"We also involve our colleagues in donating goods and then start the mammoth task of assembling all the boxes."